The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-02-17
NO. AZ
Significant Figures

The Washington correspondent of the
Philadelphia Press furnishes the follow
| ing interesting and expressive compila-
tlon OF figures affecting the receipts and
expenditures of the Government. They
are instructive:
PROBABLY no statistical statement this
session has evoked so much discussion as
tllaC made yesterday in the Senate by Sem
aCor Allison. 1t will affect the Republican
votes in the House should a measure for
Inc reduction of revenue be introduced -
" mas undoubtedly lesseneG the chances of
the passage of Judge Kelley's bill to re.
peal the tobacco tax. Senator Allison Ia
undoubtedly correct in his estimates and
u is easy to verify them by the official es
Inmates of the Secretary Of the Treasury
For example, the Secretary of the Treas.
ury estimates the total receipts for 1887 at
S3oo, oo0. 900. Add to this $50 900 600 for
postal receipts, and, say, ST., goo 900 for
excess OF revenues of 1883 over 1887. and
we have tota! of $4l6, OOO, 900 for the re-
cepts for the fiscal year ending June
80. 1885,
What will the expenses be J? Again re-
course must be had to the report of the
secretary OF the Treasury, who estimates
the expenditures for 1888 at 1925. 600. 600
Add to this $50, 900, 600 for expenditures of
the Postal Department and we have $685.
0UO,OO0. But this is not all. 1t is neces-
sary to add the expenditures made by this
Congress that are not included in the Sec
retary's estimate. The Naval Appropria
ton bill as passed by the Senate is S. ,0OO.-
0O0 III excess of the estimate So. 0OO. 900
will be required for the Mexican Pension
bill. and at least S8,000.000 for the Dlsa-
bllity bill, and the estimated deficiency al.
ready made is 81 ,0OO,000 This makes the
total expenditures for 1888, as shown by
official estimates. 1897 100000
Allowing, therefore, that the revenues
for 1883 exceed those of 1887 by $4,000.
O00 We only have surplus of 10000 900.
The Senate 30 day set day for bringing
up the Arrears Pension bill, which is not
unlikely to pass. How much will this
take Competent persons estimate it at
$239. 726, 900. The day the bill becomes a
law this amount becomes debt which the
Government viii owe and the annual
amount required for some years to pay it
will far exceed the surplus that the Off
cial figures disclose. OF course. it is pos
sible to reduce the revenue somewhat
without embarrassing the Government.
In doing this these facts must be taken
into account. The passage. flor example,
of the Kelley Tobacco bill is all that pru-
dence would suggest at this session. This
is the view of the situation held by re-
spectacle number of Republicans, while
others are not certain, in view of pending
pension legislation, whether it is wise to
make reduction until next session.
OF course Senator Beck talks about
ignoring the sinking fund provision. But,
on the other hand, the Treasury Depart
ment construes this law as meaning what it
says, viz j: per cent of the debt each year,
and unless the law is repealed this amount
of money must be used as the law directs.
These are some of the reflections that
Senator Allison's speech yesterday have
suggested,